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Eugene was miserable and freezing.
He came down with the flu, the worst one in a while. His whole body aches, he could hardly keep anything down and this fever just wouldn't break.
On this mid-morning on a Saturday, Eugene was bundled under several blankets, still shivering. He couldn't even get any decent sleep; the whole night he tossed and turned, simultaneously exhausted yet wide awake.
Over on his own bed, Pugsley glanced at him. He was perfectly fine, even lamenting last night over the fact that Eugene got sick and not him. Sometimes earlier he'd stolen Eugene’s phone....to do what, he didn't know and figured it was best not to ask.
“Eugene,” Pugsley said with a beam, “did you know you can look up videos on your phone?”
“Mhm,” Eugene mumbled.
“I found a channel, I think it's called, just for bugs! There might be one for bees too.”
Pugsley’s enthusiasm might be cute on another day - Eugene was slowly working to get him caught up with technology - but right now, it was just extra noise that was making his already pounding headache worse.
“Can you keep it down? Please?”
He didn't see it, but Pugsley's smile faded into a frown. “You okay?”
“No,” Eugene pulled the blankets as close to him as possible. It didn't seem to help.
Pugsley slowly slid off the bed, coming over there. “Are you cold?”
“Yeah...”
He assumed his boyfriend would just drape another blanket over him, which he'd gladly accept. But Pugsley surprised him by climbing into the bed.
“What are you-” Eugene said weakly.
“Want me to warm you up?” Pugsley whispered.
Eugene could only nod. He wasn't experienced in relationships, having never had a girlfriend or boyfriend prior to Pugsley, so he definitely wasn't accustomed to how surprisingly sweet Pugsley was.
Pugsley's arms were strong, but he already knew that from all the times he'd been yanked into his embrace. This time was no exception. Eugene was eased in there, a loose yet secure hold. He wasn't that much shorter than his boyfriend but for the moment, he was adjusted so his cheek was against Pugsley's chest.
“Better?”
Eugene could feel himself start to relax. Both of Pugsley’s arms were around him, taking away some of the chill that wouldn’t leave him. “Yeah,” he said, burrowing himself even more if that was possible. Sue him, his boyfriend was comfortable and he was going to enjoy it, even if he felt like death warmed over. “Aren’t-” He stopped to yawn, “aren’t you supposed to meet Wednesday?”
Pugsley seemed to shrug. Wednesday hadn’t given him a choice when she ordered him to accompany her to the now-abandoned-but-not-really Galpin house where the hyde - Tyler, Eugene reminded himself - was well, hiding. He didn’t know what went on during all those times his boyfriend snuck out but he always returned intact and scratch free so he wasn’t worried too much.
“She can handle it without me for tonight.”
Eugene coughed, cupping his hands around his mouth; his throat, already raw and sore, felt as though it was being scratched with sandpaper. Pugsley rubbed his back, nuzzling his hair.
“She’s-” His voice came out strained. “She’s not going to be happy.”
“Wednesday’s never happy.”
That wasn’t quite true. Eugene had seen a glimmer of something in her eyes, fleeting as it was, at the mention of Tyler.
“Besides,” Pugsley continued, tangling his legs with Eugene’s, “I’d rather stay here with you.”
Oh. Eugene kind of short circuited there. The way it was spoken - without a shadow of a doubt, so simply as if there was no other answer to be said - rendered him unable to form words.
“Unless you’d rather be here by yourself?” Pugsey said. He wasn’t trying to tease Eugene, there was a questioning lilt in his voice.
Finally finding his voice, Eugene lifted his head to meet Pugsley’s eyes. “No. I’d...I want you to stay.”
The smile from Pugsley lit up his whole face.